Steelers Could Have An Unexpected Rookie Become A Starter

Analysts might not necessarily love the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2026 NFL Draft class, as the team made many picks aimed at the future, even though the roster is built to win now. With these picks focused on beyond this season, most of them will likely not see much action right away. The first round pick, Max Iheanachor, probably won't be a day one starter, but will more than likely be running with the first group come season's end. Germie Bernard is another who will play a lot early, but outside of those two, there aren't many in the class who will be atop the depth chart in 2026. 

Late-round picks rarely start right away in the NFL; they usually find their snaps on special teams. Mid-round draft selections like Daylen Everette and Kaden Wetjen fit this mold, with Wetjen being an excellent returner in college, and Everette being big, physical and, more importantly, freakishly athletic. 

He should be a nice piece on all units, whether as a protector or a tackler. However, there is one rookie in the Steelers' 2026 class who could be a starter by technicality, as the only one listed at his position. 

Christopher Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently appeared on an episode of his show, Locked on, where he was answering calls from fans in Steeler Nation. One person specifically asked about the franchise's rookie class and whether any of them would make the starting lineup in Week 1. Carter named the obvious in Bernard, but also mentioned an unexpected candidate in Riley Nowakowski, who is currently the team's only fullback. 

"One guy who could be a sneaky cheat sort of pick here, Riley Nowakowski. Why? Because he's the fullback. He's listed as a fullback on the roster," Carter explained. 

Nowakowski will likely fill the hole Connor Heyward left behind, on offense and special teams. Heyward wasn't exactly beloved by Steelers fans, but he was a respectable h-back in 2025 and departed for the Las Vegas Raiders. Nowakowski played both fullback and tight end for the Indiana Hoosiers. 

For the Steelers, he won't have to play much tight end, with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington occupying those roles, but it's still unclear how much the offense will use a fullback. 

When Mike McCarthy was with the Green Bay Packers, the fullback position was a crucial part of the offense, with John Kuhn being a fan favorite. With the Dallas Cowboys, the same spot wasn't as featured. It's become a dying position in the NFL. McCarthy's offense has been a pass-heavy unit in the past. After all, he's always had an elite quarterback. Now, with Aaron Rodgers being 42, the team could look to rely on the run game, and in that case, a fullback is needed. 

Steelers Do Have Heyward's Replacement

Nowakowski moving to fullback replaces Heyward by default, but he can be better. Both players are undersized, but Nowakowski is a bigger body than Heyward and has good physicality. Standing at 6'2" and 250 pounds, the former Hoosier plays with good leverage and is even a solid pass-catching option. With a nice set of hands and the ability to make people miss, he could unlock a new part of the McCarthy offense, similar to Kuhn in the 2010s. 

With training camp still two months away, fans won't be able to see Nowakowski in pads for a long time. Whether his physicality translates to the NFL remains to be seen, but he will step into a potentially important role for the Steelers as a fifth-round rookie. Heyward was able to step up in a good way mainly as a blocker in the backfield. 

Nowakowski should be able to do the same. Until then, evaluation can only be done on his receiving skills, which haven't generated much buzz. Hopefully, Nowakowski can be a good fill-in for Heyward and give the Steelers their next quality fullback.